"An Example of God's Grace and Power."

"An Example of God's Grace and Power."

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“[T]he holy Scriptures…are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  [2 Tim.3:15-16, NIV]

Pastor Oscar Benavides, the director of LINC NT [Lutheran Inter-City Network Coalition North Texas], has preached here at St. Paul a number of times and is well-known to you. This story comes from him as an example of God’s grace and power.

At one of LINC NT’s new mission sites, two teens snuck out of their apartment with the keys to the family car. The parents did not know the twins had left without their permission. Around 1 a.m. the parents got a call the boys had parked the car in a no-parking zone and the police were ready to tow the car. It was also discovered the boys did not have licenses. The parents were shocked and went to rescue their car and teens. The brothers were cited and required to appear in court the next month.

At the court hearing, the mom told the judge that she was attending a parenting Bible study with LINC NT. The judge asked more about the curriculum and inquired if the boys were attending the Bible study [they were not]. The judge then compelled the boys to attend the Bible study every week for three months, requesting that LINC NT verify their attendance. We now have two 15 year old teens learning about the Bible at our Wednesday study with their family. We are in awe of God’s sense of humor and work. Please pray for these boys, that His Word would infiltrate their lives in such a way that they choose to be at the study even after the term is completed. God is amazing!

Wow! What a great witness this is! On the one hand, we see the incredible things God is doing through LINC. On the other, we see how He is using “secular” judges to accomplish His will in bringing His Word to hearts that so desperately need it. And on top of it all, we give thanks for the creativity of pastors/leaders like Pastor Oscar and his teammates who search for doors into our communities -- ways to introduce Jesus Christ into the lives and homes of the people who live right there.

Of course this begs the question: how can we at St. Paul knock and open doors into the lives of people around us here in Plano? We have great facilities, a tremendous early childhood ministry in our school, we are highly visible on a well-traveled venue and, with all this, we have the benefit of skilled volunteers. We do not need to have a perfect plan to get things going -- just the perfect peace that God will use what we bring for His purpose.

- Jack